Electric car delivery times grow to an average eight-month wait

Research by Electrifying.com has found drivers looking to place an order for an electric car in October will have to wait an average of 35 weeks for their new car; a slight increase of 3.1% (from 34 weeks) since the same time in August. This has led to some dealers adding a premium to prices for anyone wanting the skip the queue – however, some popular models are available with lead times of just a month.

The cars facing the most dramatic increases include big sellers from Kia and Vauxhall. The Kia Niro EV now has an average wait of nine months for delivery, up from 4.5 months in August. Both the Vauxhall Corsa-e and Mokka-e waiting times have risen dramatically too, from an average of 3.5 months in August to 10 months in October.

At the more luxurious end of the market, consumers could be waiting for up to 18 months for a Porsche Taycan.

Buyers looking to skip the queue can expect to pay for the privilege, with dealers adding substantial premiums to the manufacturer’s list price for cars which are in stock.

However, popular models including the Tesla Model Y and the Renault Zoe are enjoying comparatively low waiting times of four to 12 weeks and one to two months respectively, meaning customers could have their new car in time for Christmas.

Drivers who baulk at the thought of waiting more than seven months for a BMW i4 might want to consider an iX3 instead, as this model is available with an eight-week delivery time.

Nissan’s Leaf seems to have evergreen demand too, with the waiting time extending from five months in August to nine months now. However, the company’s new Ariya model has a comparatively reasonable four month wait.

The shortest waiting times are for MG’s new MG4 and MG5 models, with some dealers offering delivery in just four weeks. However, the company’s ZS EV is still facing waiting lists which are longer than a year.

Founder and CEO of Electrifying.com Ginny Buckley said: “This is a difficult time for both consumers and the car industry, and despite the fact that over one million cars with a plug have now been sold in the UK the problem of supply chain issues and chip shortages is not going away any time soon.

“Some dealers are telling us that stock cars might be available if you can be flexible with your tech, trim and colour, but bargains are a thing of the past, with many cars now being sold for above their list price.

“Despite the waiting times for many popular family cars, including the Kia Niro EV, being unreasonably high drivers may be able to get behind the wheel before Christmas if they act quickly on certain MG models or even the popular Tesla Model Y.”